Home Counties

The Home Counties are the counties of south-eastern England which encircle London. The region is not defined as one of the statistical regions, and its constitution is a matter of debate. Among the earliest definitions was the 1851 Post Office definition, which considered the "Six Home Counties" to be Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Middlesex, Surrey and Sussex. Buckinghamshire is also often included, as is Berkshire.

Occasionally, some definitions include Oxfordshire, Hampshire and even part of Dorset (defined by council areas), although these counties are more often associated with the south coast and, in the case of the latter, the West Country. Cambridge was considered by the same definition to be an exclave of the region, although that area is more often associated with East Anglia.